Trust Me, Trust You
by Agent Pumpkin
Summary: You have always been on the run, trusting no one - until one fateful night. You didn't mean for it to turn out in such a cliché way, but things happened and now you're apparently living aside the greatest detective in the world. Whom, might you add, is completely insufferable. But you have your ways of dealing with him. - L/Reader
1. It's Luck's Turn

**Okay, so a chapter L/Reader is here, and I am quite excited to write it. I am a little wary as I have my hands full with school... Especially this week as it's littered with tests... But I'll go ahead with it anyway, otherwise it may never get written. Too many of my ideas get shot down that way. Anyway, just to let you know, there are sensitive themes from the very beginning so don't read if you are easily frightened or triggered. That's all I have to say; I hope you enjoy!**

**Just as a note, this story is post-Kira - it's mentioned at the very end but it's not going on throughout this story.. BUT the building in which they do the Kira investigation in (the one L has built especially for the case, somewhere around episode 17) is already within existence. It suits my story so it will be there.**

**~Jess~**

It seemed you were always in some kind of trouble. Each of your riveting tales started with you running away; avoiding somebody; fighting for your very life. And this was one was no different.

Your legs ached as you propelled yourself down pathway after pathway in search of some exit. Behind you, the three dubious men were gaining on you, and you were beginning to tire out. Badly. Even so, you hurtled past shops and houses - anything that could possibly hide you. The night was beginning to prove endlessly useless, the darkness doing next to nothing to conceal you from view. It wasn't even as if you were being provocative, just walking under a bridge to get to the other side of a railway track; the usual. The only reason you didn't stop there for the night was because the trains were still running - you'd never have been able to sleep with such noise overhead.

"Why're you so intent on runnin'?! Come back and have some fun with us!"

"Fuck you!" you yelled back, willing your legs to carry you faster.

It was a difficult job, dodging in and out of things that could have possibly slowed you down, but from months on the streets you were used to it. You'd never been in a particularly great position as far as the men in your city were concerned. They always seemed to want to cause trouble simply because you were alone.

They never managed to hurt you too bad though - you could look after yourself just fine, or so you'd convinced yourself as you flung large rubbish bins onto the ground to stop them, to make them stumble, to trip them up even if you were being hopeful. However, it didn't stop them, them simply leaping over the obstacles with vigour, their mouths running a mile a minute as they threw obscenities and curses your way.

Your vision was beginning to distort slightly - and the others must have known, because they seemed to be purposefully speeding up, as if they hadn't been giving it their all the entire time. To give you a fleeting grasp of freedom. To be so cruel as to let you believe that you had a chance against all three of them, simultaneously, with no harm falling upon you. That was truly evil. A fact that made you grit your teeth in anger as you continued to run stubbornly. If they caught you, it would be with you kicking and screaming.

Fighting.

Your legs had carried you past a particularly large array of flats, stacked up on top of one another for as far as the eye could see. You didn't marvel at it, didn't have the time to, but you allowed yourself to envy the security that those lucky people had around them. An entire locality within one building, with the safety and security of gates, firm walls and many floors encompassing their otherwise vulnerable little selves. You would have even tried to infiltrate yourself, but there was a huge gate up front with a finger-print scanner and a voice transceiver. No time to try it, no time to beg for assistance, you were alone - just as you'd always been. Nothing was different. Nothing ever would be different.

As you expected sooner or later, you felt a large hands grab your ragged jacket, yanking you back so hard that you slipped onto your knees in front of him. Looking up, you noticed the other two had halted only a little ways off from you, beginning to form a meek little triangle around you; together, the three of them peered down at you, the 'leader' of the bunch sticking up his pointer finger and wagging it from side to side as if scolding a disobedient child.

"Oh, [Name]."

The growl that left your mouth was of pure vigour. You hated the way their eyes traveled over your frame as if it had belonged to them all along. You didn't even know their names and it wad it was incredibly creepy that they knew _yours_; at least some of your previous chasers had had the decency to give you a crude introduction.

"Don't touch me," you hissed through clenched teeth, before feeling a firm hand squeezing at your chin and sides of your jaw, causing your face to bunch up slightly. A cruel laugh left the mouth of the other, quickly followed by two others. You sent each of your attackers hateful glares before receiving a sharp slap to your face, the sound echoing in the air much akin to a gunshot. Shock overtook your features before your brilliant [e/c] eyes died in spark.

'_I have lost... they have won... this is it...'_

"Better behave, or there'll be more of where that came from."

Your awareness seemed to come to when you felt yourself being hoisted up by one of them, foreign, grubby hands roaming over you. You began to scream, only for one of them to shove three large fingers into your mouth and as far down your throat as possible, making you gag and choke. The movements didn't stop.

"Let go of me!" you cried, kicking and screaming as frantically as possible. "Get off of me, let go!"

And then, the cold of metal ghosted against your neck; a blade of silver glinting in the peaceful moonlight. Your breath caught in your throat as the three paused, laughter echoing around you as they partook in the joke that was your undressing. Every time you tried to fight, the blade would be driven harder against your skin and threats would be hissed in your ear.

"_I'll kill you, [Name]. Don't think I won't. God, you must want this - look at you." Don't make me..._

You could feel cold air beginning to hit your skin and you almost stopped kicking. Almost. The defeat you were currently witnessing wasn't only overwhelming, but incredibly upsetting as you felt tears spring to the corners of your eyes. Aside from your terror and horror, you'd never been so humiliated in your entire life. You'd never been caught aside from a few minor beatings in which you had dished out as much as you were given. Why was this time so different? Was it because you were tired to begin with? With no home to go to, what were you supposed to do to keep out of people's way?

"Please stop..."

"Shut the fuck up, will you?"

A whimper was his answer, the now pitiful sound passing your lips with the readiness of a two year old being told "no" to an ice cream. You were no longer strong, only reduced to your underwear. You couldn't even find energy to scream any more, your throat tight with the disgust of the stranger's fingers down them. Mortification didn't begin to describe your predicament as you felt hands delve into places they shouldn't have been, all while deciding whether you'd rather die at the hands of the blade of living on with no pride whatsoever.

But fate had always been a funny thing as far as you were concerned. You had been so unlucky to have your parents die at the hands of a car crash, yet you had been so fortunate to receive care from an orphanage. You had been so unfortunate as to despise your new 'home', yet you had been so lucky as to have the guts to run away and leave it behind, allowing bad memories to fade away, obscuring themselves in the distant and forgotten wreckage of what used to be your normal life.

In this particular instance, fate was on your side - turns out, it was luck's turn.

"Shit!" It was a simple vocalisation, but one that made the hands disappear, as if they were never there to begin with. Opening your tightly squeezed-shut eyes, you found yourself staring into a bright light. A torch...? A headlight...? You couldn't tell, far too delirious to understand what was happening. No... Not a headlight. Siren lights. A police car.

They had bolted away, leaving you in a heap on the ground as soon as somebody had stepped out of the car. You could hear the deceivingly soft footfalls of the stranger as they made their way towards you; no doubt they'd try to kick up a fuss, whereas you wanted to simply thank them for interrupting what was about to happen and then scarper. As you always did. Never let anybody get close, never lose.

"Miss, you're not hurt, are you...?"

You almost laughed. Hurt? No. But destroyed? Of course. You could feel tears slipping from the safety of your eyes, despite your better judgment. Damn it, crying was never good, never mind crying in front of a stranger. But, while you were thinking about it, the man sounded friendly, even in tone; older, no doubt, but friendly. You weren't going to fall for it though - how could you? After all, _you yourself _had once sounded friendly.

"No..." Your voice shook as tears began to fall down your face, a sob forcing its way out in the form of a terrified choke. You couldn't stop yourself from breaking down any longer, simply cried on the hard surface of the pavement. There was no scramble for your clothing, or a flurry of arm movements to attempt to cover yourself a little more (luckily for you, your underwear was still in tact and in place, which you could only thank God - or something of that equal aptitude - for), just the sound of sobbing filling the night air.

And yet no house lights flickered once. Granted, compared to the places you had run through, this one was scarce, though it was directly opposite that huge stack of flats you'd spared a moment to envy just minutes prior to what had happened. Not one person had even gratified you with a light turning on, not even a step outside just to see what was going on. Even if they did nothing - which you would understand, people like your attackers were dangerous, and you didn't expect people to want to cross them - they could have at least... checked.

And this fact only made you cry harder.

"My dear, it's not good out here. Come here."

You didn't move. Who did he think he was? And more importantly, what kind of person did he think you were to simply be able to get up after such shock had attacked your inner nerves with such vigour you wanted to faint? Casting your eyes upwards, you laid eyes on an old man, his hand outstretched towards you - in it, was what you presumed to be his jacket.

Without really thinking, you all but snatched it from him and wrapped it around your shuddering form, listening to the little noise of contentment that passed the other's mouth, before you felt hands on your shoulders. Instinctively, you began to lash out, only for a gentle tone of voice to mutter:

"I will not lay a hand on you. Please, come this way so that I can help you."

You found yourself obeying him, getting to your feet, limbs shaky and long trench-coat draped around your form, you so much shorter than he that it trailed on the floor slightly. A comforting and helpful arm slunk around your shoulders, supporting your weight as you were put into the police car, the door closing behind you. You weren't quite sure what to do now, nor what was going to happen to you... One thing you did know was that you couldn't run. You had no clothes excluding your underwear and this gentleman's coat - and that wouldn't last you long out there at night.

The rest was a blur, the car beginning to move before you could protest. However, it stopped just a moment later as the mystery man unwound the window and pressed his finger to the finger-pad in front of the block of flats you'd noticed earlier. Wait, so this guy _lived there_...? So, perhaps you'd been wrong and someone had noticed after all...?

You stared in wonder as he parked the car in front of the assortment of flats ahead of you, and then opened your door for you. You slipped out with no complaints, pulling the fabric of the coat tighter around yourself, your legs sturdy once more. Due to being out on the streets, you were used to confrontations such as the one you had experienced tonight (though not with nearly as much success, _that part _still had you startled) and it didn't take long for you to cut the crying out and steel your resolve. You wouldn;t let anybody hurt you - and you'd never let anybody see you hurting again. You watched as the stranger tapped a long assortment of numbers on a panel before the door slid open. This place sure had sharp security...

"U-Um... sir, I'm sorry but... who are you...?" you asked with the curiosity of a child. Damn it, you hadn't meant to stutter, but you just felt so threatened by the entire new complex around you that it was hard to think correctly and arrange your words the way you wanted them to be said. All around was an odd business-like appearance flashing back at you, a mixture of chrome and blue being all that filled your vision, as well as an elevator in the right hand corner of the spacious room. This didn't look like a flat room at all... did flats have receptions? Or, maybe this was a hotel?

The old man turned to you; the first time you'd gotten a real good look at him, only to notice he didn't look at all predatory, nor dangerous. Still, you didn't trust... Couldn't trust.

"I am Watari," He bowed to you, which you found odd but you kept your lips tightly steeled out of politeness, "I am so sorry I could not reach you sooner."

He was apologising...?

"It's fine... it wasn't your fault..."

A silence overtook the room as he beckoned you to follow him, walking towards the elevator you had spotted earlier.

"I can call whoever you wish. Perhaps your parents would be a good choice? I'm sure they are worried about you by now."

Your eyes closed, your fists clenching by your sides. Not out of anger, but out of sadness. Everybody always turned straight to the parents... And it was more than disconcerting to have to confess that they weren't there to help. Through no fault of their own, either.

"There's nobody you can call," you told him, your voice quiet as the elevator door slid to a close in front of the pair of you, beginning to move up. "They're all gone..."


	2. Meeting L

**Okie, ****so chapter two is here. I think people responded to the first chapter quite well (not so much on DeviantART, but I got a few more comments on ) so I'm updating the second chapter. It actually took longer than I would have liked because I've had exams this week, so yeah - such a headache all week through. **

**Anyhow, I hope this chapter works for you - L will be in this one, so no need to worry!**

**X x**

Thoroughly disturbed by what you'd said, Watari had told you to take a seat and had promptly disappeared into another room. You caught a glimpse of chrome and blue before he closed the door, disappearing from view all together. Whilst you were seated there, you tried to get a grip; tried to understand what had happened. You had almost been in an incredibly delicate situation... Hell, even the thought of it - what _had _happened - was enough to send an eerie chill down your spine as you struggled to keep your composure.

You supposed it was nothing but luck that had had you saved. Not fate, not God's will, just plain and simple luck - and that was the way you preferred things. It was easier, safer, didn't get you hopeful for anything and yet kept you clinging to the ever-impending possibility that something good could come your way. In other words, it was fool-proof.

"_Ryuuzaki."_

"_Yes?"_

"_She is on the database but... she was not lying. She really has nobody to turn to in particular... her parents are deceased, grandparents are also - she has no friends due to being too cautious. Surely she can't be left alone once more...?"_

"_That all depends, Watari... we can't be sure who she is. What her motives are. If she's dangerous."_

You swore you could hear talking coming from the room Watari had slipped into. Well, he was old... you supposed it wasn't so unreasonable to assume that he was also the slightest bit senial. Sighing, you brought a hand to your forehead and rubbed it softly; anything to clear the visions from your mind, to wash away the feeling of dirt corrupting your mind and soul as you felt the ghost of unwanted hands trail over you, the memory sickening you to your core. Subconsciously, your hands shifted to your lap, fumbling with each other with the nerve of a guilty child. Afraid. And you hated that you were.

You weren't quite sure what to do with yourself. Were you supposed to wait for Watari to return? And what would happen when he did? You assumed that, since he'd used a police car when taking you back to this curious set of flats (though you were honestly beginning to doubt this fact), he had some kind of affiliation with the police. But what could they do for you? Nothing, as much as you could think of. With a somewhat heavy heart, you blocked your eyes with your hands, staring into the darkness as you considered your options. They were not plentiful.

"Miss."

Your eyes snapped up to meet the kind old man. He was looking at you worriedly, brow creased. The emotion, from the somewhat trying look in his eyes, was genuine - something you weren't yet used to. 'Genuine'wasn't something you were all too familiar with - people were never so kind. But this man was really breaking all of those premonitions of yours down, with his kind eyes and his calming tone of voice. You realised in the moment that he hadn't raised his voice to you or been pushy even once.

"I was consulting with the one who lives here-"

"One?!" you interrupted, unable to catch yourself due to surprise. The statement had hit you like a tonne of bricks. How could one person afford so much?! Your eyes spared the spacious room a glance, eyes scanning over the features and expensive, well-done patterns around the room, the tiling incredibly accurate and pristine. This building was also incredibly tall (from what you'd seen on the outside)... If all the rooms were as big as this one, that could only mean one thing: the one who owned this entire complex was _filthy rich. _

"Yes." A smile tugged at the others mouth; that same kind smile from before and you could feel your defenses slipping at the sight of it. This man, for some reason or other, made you think of safety - it was comforting, to say the least. "Ryuuzaki owns this building. He lives here alone."

"But... what does he need so much space for...?" Meanwhile, while Watari seemed to be particularly calm about your outburst, as if he experienced it often, you were in a state of awe. You still couldn't fathom how much space one person could need, nor could you understand what one was supposed to do with so much room to themselves. "Surely there's somebody else here from time to time...?"

"Ryuuzaki is a very sophisticated man. He likes to keep himself to himself and maintain his privacy with any means necessary," Watari replied, bowing his head. Suddenly, you felt as if you were imposing - if this man adored solitude so much, were you intruding by being here? You quickly shifted uncomfortably, struggling to your feet, only for Watari to stop you with a step forward and a shake of his head, "But he will make an allowance."

What? What was this man even suggesting? Instinctively, you slowly lowered yourself into your previous sitting position and stared up at him in a state of bafflement. How were you even supposed to respond to a comment so bold?

"I'm... I'm sorry...?"

"Ryuuzaki has suggested you remain here." That same smile was on his face. Surely he wasn't correct? Surely this Ryuuzaki had said something different? Your breathing began to quicken; how could a stranger be so conditionally kind to you? You struggled to understand it as you stood up, shaking your head and raising your hands in defensive positions.

"I assure you, Mr. Watari, that's not necessary!"

He only chuckled, "Miss _, it is indeed necessary."

Any words you'd had stored previously died in your throat, your mind refusing to conjure anything logical to respond with. Why was this man so willing to help her? And what about the other one - why was he suggesting you stay? You'd be nothing but trouble, after years of fending for yourself, after years of dealing with yourself with nothing but the company of your shadow, you weren't even sure how to function within society any more, nevermind somebody else's _home_.

"There is more than enough room." Watari was backing up now, as if to lead you somewhere. Stubbornly, you shook your head which in turn caused him to frown, "Ryuuzaki would appreciate it if you would through." The sentence was said with slightly more force than any others he'd previously spoken... But it was still inviting, still warm. Not quite having the nerve to argue with him, you slowly rose to stand up and hesitantly tailed after him, your heart beating quick. Who even was this mysterious Ryuuzaki he kept mentioning? The thought was only fleeting, but what if this man he kept referring to wasn't even real? He was old, it would make sense... but it didn't add up. Somebody had to own this building.

"...all right."

He lead you to the elevator once more, you standing beside him with your arms tucked behind your back. You glanced at the floor number he click - floor twenty-two - and watched as the doors slid shut, as if forbidding you to turn back forever. In that instant, you realised that this may have been your break-through. You wouldn't have to live among dangerous people any more. You wouldn't have to struggle to avoid aggressive behaviour and you wouldn't have to fight with anybody to ensure that you had somewhere safe to sleep for the night. The thought was tempting, inviting even, convincing you to drop your protests and allow them to die, much like your sense of trust had long ago.

The elevator _ding! b_rought you out of your thoughts as a dim light filled your vision. Much akin to computer screens, you mused silently. Sure enough, all that greeted your sight when you stepped into the room, was a wall full of them, each with cameras pinned on different rooms of the building - though all of them, as Watari had suggested beforehand, were empty and unused in every essence of the word. Pristine, picturesque rooms stared back at you.

But the most curious sight in the room was not the array of computers, but the figure hunched in front of them. All you could see was his back, raven hair an utter mess as it swept to the side with the grace of a five year old who''d never yet seen a comb. You couldn't really tell much else, he wasn't speaking and he definitely wasn't moving - until his chair suddenly swiveled around to face you. You almost jumped backwards, startled by his sudden appearance.

Dark. It was the first word that came to your mind as you stared into his large black eyes with your own bright [e/c] ones, truthfully a little disturbed. Already, you considered his gaze unnerving, enough to make you uncomfortable as you shuffled on the balls of your feet, trying desperately to think of something to say. His eyes seemed to narrow at your slight movements, drinking them in with a moving sense of precision, the equivalent of a predator watching its prey.

"_"

How did he...?

"I suppose you'll be joining Watari and I here then." The sentence was so final that you almost forgot to question it, your voice refusing to work as you retained his eye contact with the diligence of a soldier. His monotone voice seemed to echo off of the walls, bouncing back to you and surrounding your head; him being the only thing you could hear in the otherwise silent room. Instantly, you began to feel incredibly small, your fists bunching by your sides as you watched him stand up slowly, back ridiculously slouched.

"...I... suppose so." Not what you meant to say. "...but why?"

"_." This apparent-Ryuuzaki character spoke your name sternly, as if he had an insight to who you were already., Little did you know that he did - of course he did. He was L. Nothing escaped him - and no person escaped the database which he had personal access to through the notoriety of the police. It really wasn't hard to get a hold of somebody looking at such files, and they were all at the tips of his brilliant fingers. "I would think that much was obvious. Because you have nowhere to go."

Immediately, your features began to sink a little, your brow furrowing in brief agitation, "Excuse me? You don't know that."

"On the contrary," he paused, thumb moving to his lip. You noticed his teeth coming to nip at the skin of it, his eyes shifting to the side before locking on you with that same indifference that had had you bolted to the spot only moments ago, your resolve suddenly an iron clamp around your ankles. "I do know. I know that your name is _ _, that you have no place to call your own. That your parents are deceased and that you do not know what to do with yourself. I also know that your situation is particularly delicate. Watari here informed me of the details." His thumb shifted from his lips, his hands moving to his pockets and bunching there with a casualness that made the hairs on your neck bristle; it wasn't appropriate for how odd you were feeling in the stranger's company, nor was such treatment expected. You had icily ignored the comments about your loved ones and their passing - if anything, you didn't want to let Ryuuzaki in at all. "Therefore it would make sense that you remain here. You know that the streets are no place for you."

A silence overtook the room, heavy and foreboding. You could tell from the way he was looking at you, there was nothing you could say or do to change his mind. He seemed to believe - _truly believe _- that you staying with him was only common sense; that anybody, in the same position, would immediately do the same thing. That this was the only right thing to do with such an occasion. You swallowed thickly, trying to rid yourself of nerves. Why was this man's presence so... ominous?

"How did you have that information?" you croaked, deciding to change the subject. There was no use in arguing about it. Even the look that Watari had on his face, one of pure solidity as he listened to the other's word as if it were law. You couldn't quite understand it, actually... what power did Ryuuzaki have over him in the slightest?

"I have everybody's information."

An unpleasant feeling washed over you. That comment, topped up with the incredibly amount of protection and cameras you had witnessed in the short space of a single night was beginning to get to your head. Who was he to have such authority over people's privacy? He seemed obsessed with it. Both his own, and breaching others.

"...why...?""

A pause as the room began to fill to the brim with tension, each individual crack in the wall radiating with a stifling heat that made you want to choke on it. A tension so thick and a heat so unbearably present that you wanted nothing more than to back out of the stuffy room and leave; you almost felt as if you were being _forced _to stay.

"I am L."

"What does that even mean?" you uttered densely, staring at him with a new-found sense of dumbfound. Surely he wasn't talking about _the _L. The greatest detective in the world... he didn't look right for the part. For one, he looked far too young. For a second point, he looked far too... slack. Unbeknownst to you, your face had twisted into some sort of disbelief, the lack of trust evident in the little twitch of your brow and your curled lips, oddly resembling a pout. As if you didn't _want _to believe that it was true. But alas, "L" only stared back at you with his owlish gaze, eyes unwavering as he waited for you to say something else. Anything to imply that you weren't as stupid as you had sounded naught but a minute ago.

"It means-"

"_You're _L?"

His head tilted slightly, "...yes."

Brilliant. How had you wound up with such high expectations? While this man didn't betray them (after all, you'd always imagined L would be quirky, perhaps even socially awkward - this man seemed to be the very embodiment of such descriptions), it was so odd to have your thoughts about this man confirmed. You found that you didn't really want them to be; that you preferred the great L being a heroic mystery. Someone to admire from a distance. Somebody to shadow, but never meet and greet.

"...I think I need to sleep." The sentence came out before you could stop it, your mind refusing to compute anything else. From beside you, Watari had shifted on his feet and looked to Ryuuzaki before giving you a friendly smile.

"Of course," he spoke up, same friendly tone apparent. "This way."

You hadn't been able to resist any longer. As soon as Watari left you to your own devices, you instantly flung yourself on the huge bed and sighed a huge sigh of relief. Yes, your situation was topsy-turvy right now, yes, you couldn't really understand what the Hell was even going on - honestly, you half suspected this was all some incredibly elaborate dream - but it didn't even matter as soon as your back hit that damned bed. You hadn't felt something so soft in years, the entire essence of the room hitting your nose with a new sense of belonging. You were well aware that this was far from the place for you; that you only tarnished the perfection with your otherwise grubby and worn appearance. But you cared not. You sprawled out there for what felt like hours, taking in your surroundings and allowing the occasional chuckle to escape your lips, still disbelieving all that had happened.

'_Why didn't I put up more of a fight?' _you muttered several times, but never made a move to get up, or explore any further. You simply laid there contently, eyes slowly slipping closed. Though one issue still remained: you couldn't trust anybody for the life of you. And it was going to be difficult to learn with somebody as imposing as L. But at least he his reputation proceeded him... an alias was something you hadn't even considered as Watari rambled on about him.

"I'll have to dig deep tomorrow," you whispered as you rolled over and clenched the soft duvets between your fingers, still not quite 'with-it'. Still muttering to yourself as if you were in a dream. Your eyes, feeling as if they hosted lead on each lash, slipped closed. "I'll have to... investigate... tomorrow..."

That was the last thing you could think of before you soundly fell asleep: L and how you were going to approach him from now on. Would he take to you, or would irritate him before you could even begin to argue about staying there in the first place? Even so, the way he had recollected so many facts about you - particularly the more sensitive ones - had both annoyed and astounded you. You knew he had access it - probably what Watari had left you in that room to look at, you realised some time later upon being left alone -


	3. It Didn't Go So Well

**Sorry this is late, my friends, ****I've**** had company in the form of exams this past couple of weeks and ****they're**** a total**** bitch and I hate them. I'm writing this in between study because I feel if I study any more, I'll simply forget everything and burn out. So yeah. An update. To the story nobody's enjoying. You're welcome.**

**Please tell me what you thought, I get kinda worried when I receive no reviews. I just take it that I haven't done well and get discouraged to update. Even if you didn't like it, a comment , in some way or form, would be lovely. Thanks!**

**X x**

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

You twigged, knowing the sound like the back of your hand. Typing. A speedy, hasty typing at that. Curiously, you sat up and peered around the room - seeing Ryuuzaki perched at the foot of your bed with a laptop on his knee and his fingers working a mile a minute across the keyboard. What was even more curious was that he only used his index fingers... Yet he could still type faster than you, or anybody else you knew.

And then it seemed to click in your head.

_L was there, on your bed. _

"Hgg?!" you exclaimed unintelligibly, rocketing upwards into a crude sitting position, the blankets tousled around you as if you'd never had them over you peacefully. Meanwhile, L remained still, typing away before suddenly halting, the silence grating on your ears as his gaze picked up to pierce yours confidently. The blankness you were met with earlier had not faltered at all, if anything he seemed even harder in face.

"Good evening," he remarked, same blandness as you'd witnessed earlier. You made a little face. Evening? Just how late had you slept in? You narrowed your eyes slightly at him... but your reward was nothing; nothing about him was given away, the only thing for you to really examine being his coal-black eyes and his ever-present straight-line mouth. "I trust you slept well."

"I guess..." Your hand moved on its own accord to cover your mouth as you yawned. Great. Now he had something to gloat about; an insight to how well you'd been treated. As if it would do anything to help your case, you lowered it and scratched the back of your other hand instead, trying to work up the nerve to look him in the eyes once more.

As before, he was watching you. His large eyes, scanning over you before resting back on your face, never missed a thing. He noticed the bags under your eyes - much akin to his own, honestly, though yours would go, his would not - and how tousled your hair was from moving around on new 'terrain' in your sleep. A truly fitful experience, you were trying to hide it from him. It amused him a little bit if he was being honest... but as usual, L remained stone-faced.

"Then, let's get down to business."

Your heart skipped a beat, your eyebrows dipping in confusion. He only stared at you for a matter of moments before shuffling a little closer to you. Quite unfitting of the great L, sliding towards you on his rear in such a childish fashion that would have had you laughing if you weren't so confused in the first place. What was he getting at, exactly?

"I'm... sorry, I don't know what you mean..."

"Of course," he replied, as if the fact that you didn't know was obvious. In fact, in hindsight, perhaps it was; he was a genius after all, it couldn't have been that surprising when he knew something that another didn't. If anything, for L, it would have been more surprising for somebody to actually be informed than to not be. "I'm interested in your case."

"Hah?"

The raven-haired mastermind fell slightly flatter. "Your case. What happened that night."

The way he enunciated his sentence, so slow and drawn out as if speaking to a four year old had you incredibly irritated, making you clench the bedsheets between your fists meekly. It wasn't an aggressive gesture by any means, but it was enough to show that you were annoyed by him - and of course it didn't go unnoticed by the arrogant know-it-all sat opposite you.

"You don't have to talk down to me like I'm stupid." Your lips curled into a pout, arms crossing defiantly over your chest as you turned your head away from him, eyes slipping closed in your own know-it-all manner, "If you'd have just said it that way, I wouldn't have been confused."

"I said it relatively similar." The bored tone grated on your nerves as did everything he seemed to do. Was this man just purposefully irritating? Did he act in such a way to evoke a violent reaction? Some people said that people were their truest when they were mad... did he consider the same theory? And... if he did, did that make it true? Because you'd personally put it aside as rubbish, convinced that anger only made a person say things they'd regret later, otherwise apologies wouldn't exist.

"Wha-"

"Anyway," L cut in, hands remaining still against his jean-clad knees whilst yours remained tangled in the bedsheets, your teeth gritting ever so slightly. You _hated _being interrupted, it was one of the things that had you wanting to thoroughly delete somebody from your presence all together. It was so rude, arrogant, as if the only one the other could bear to listen to was themselves... and that was apparently no feat to describe the genius opposite you. "I wish to solve your case. Can you tell me what happened that night?"

Your throat suddenly felt incredibly dry. What were you supposed to say? Vaguely, you noted that your case wasn't even bad compared to what L had been juggling with in the past, solving massacre after massacre, jailing psychopath after psychopath, being right _all the time_. Which in turn only made you feel even stiffer. Why would he even take interest in such a menial case in the first place? It didn't seem like him.

"I... I don't really know."

L's look was sharp, his eyes not shifting once as you felt your hands gradually become clammy. He didn't seem satisfied with your response, if anything, he considered it to be a lie. Which, like almost everything else he'd done thus far, irritated you. You were many things, even having stolen and beaten others in the past when the situation called for it, but you were _not _-and would _never be_ - a liar.

"I really don't!" you rallied, watching as his back straightened slightly in the form of a back-up. Good. You hoped he moved further and further away as time went on, eventually leaving the room. _Good_. "I just... it was a blur. Besides," Your voice stopped a moment, lids lowering slightly, giving you a rather melancholy expression. "Nothing happened anyway. Thanks to Watari."

"And what if Watari hadn't been there?"

You clenched the sheet tighter, feeling your fingers begin to ache. Suddenly, the soft material of the bed seemed to burn, your heart thumping in your chest as you considered the possibility. Somehow, it didn;'t even matter that the kind-hearted man _had _come, all that was replaying in your mind was a memory you didn't even own: one of terror and foreign men mapping every inch of you. The thought was enough to make you shrivel backwards and away from the quirky man perched opposite you.

"Well, he _was._"

A tense silence filled the room. Or, perhaps it was only tense because it _was _silent. Perhaps it would have been different had "Ryuuzaki" spoken up straight away in retaliation, which you honestly expected as opposed to his contemplative silence.

"I see," he finally said, eyes averting to the side in the form of an apology. Or so you assumed, though it wasn't likely. "I suppose you're right. I don't enjoy dwelling over possibilities anyway. Facts are what are important to solving a case. And if you can't give me any..."

Again, his pause was purposeful, obviously prompting you to which you shook your head at.

"I don't know who they were _either_."

"...then there is no use in attempting to tackle your case." L finished, his thumb moving to his mouth as he nibbled on it gently, slipping into his own train of thought. He was curious as to why you were so jumpy, considering nothing _had _happened as you had said. He was slightly suspicious, though he put it down to a new environment, with admittedly odd people such as himself living within it. Plus, it must have been a pill for your to swallow when he enforced the fact that you were now residing alongside him; you didn't even know one another. He still wasn't quite sure why he had enforced it, despite what he had said to Watari. Since when did he _care_? "Which... admittedly, is a shame."

Your ears twitched briefly. Did he just say what you thought he did? He was expressing... pity of some kind...? Naturally, your bright [e/c] eyes moved upwards to look at him, obviously expressing your curiosity.

"Truthfully I've been... rather bored. There have been no cases to solve for a while... I supposed yours would have been a good opportunity to fill some of my otherwise empty schedule. Even though, undoubtedly, a case so simple would have taken me only a day or so, perhaps even a scarce amount of hours..."

Though he was arrogant, you were impressed with his admittance. That he had the courage to be himself with such a loud volume. However annoying it was, you had to give him props for being proud of himself... Or perhaps he was that way simply because he didn't know how else to behave. Based on how he'd acted with you thus far, as well as Watari - weird quirks and all - this man was the epitome of socially awkward. But before you had time to ponder L's social status any longer, your mind caught onto something else.

"Wait..." Your eyes suddenly sharpened angrily. "You're saying my case, one of potential _rape _would have been only a source of entertainment for you?!"

He was quiet for a little bit, simply looking at you with his owlish gaze. You had never been so on-edge in your life, so immediately repulsed by the idea of talking to somebody. Your entire relationship depended on his answer... And you could feel it wasn't going to go your way.

"...well, yes. Though I do recognise the traumas of such a case and sympathise deeply for anybody who has been through it... I'm not involved personally and so it doesn't bother me very much. Such an issue would never stop me from solving a case, nor would any other."

"How can you be so... c_old_?"

It was out before you could stop it, your eyes widening slightly when you realised what you'd said. No doubt you were within his residence, within his home... And now he was definitely going to consider throwing you out. Damn it, keeping your mouth shut had never been a strength of yours; you were always so outward, so intent on getting your opinion out there even when you should have shied away from the possibility of being heard. You were bold, sometimes too much so... But it always paid off in some way or form, even if first came the annoyances and the fall-outs.

Meanwhile, L was slightly confused. Hadn't he expressed that he was deeply sorry for anybody who had suffered badly in such a way? His thumb moved from his lip to his chin, stroking it softly as he thought deeply. Why were you so put off by what he had said? Surely he'd been justified... and he'd even been expressive when it came to his emotions!

"...cold?" he eventually asked, but at the rate he was looking at you, it was obvious that he wasn't asking for your approval. Or explanation. "I can assure you, I am not cold. I just do my work _effectively_."

You listened to his words, felt the piercing of skin as his firm tone dug into you with slight vigour. Suddenly, you felt as if you'd heard enough. You no longer wanted to speak to him. But you couldn't just kick him out either and so you stood up, feigning a stretch as your legs cracked awake from their long slumber.

"Whatever you call it, Ryuuzaki," you murmured, raising your arms above your head and giving a more genuine stretch, stifling a moan of fulfillment as your back cracked softly. You could tell that things were going to be rocky between the pair of you from that moment on; he had without a shadow of a doubt proven to you that he was cold and remote like a distant island, only interested in his work because it was the only thing to fill the gaping void in his life. Otherwise known as loneliness. Loneliness that he wouldn't admit to. Loneliness that he'd _never _take ownership for. And you weren't about to take ownership for it either. "I suppose we have differing views."

It was then that you promptly left the room. Perhaps you could find Watari and he could fix you up something to eat... If his offer was still up. After all, he'd insisted you eat before you went to bed, but what was to do except refuse with your usual diligence and tell him you just wanted to sleep? It was half-true and you had slept wonderfully to show for it, but still, your stomach was alive by now, grumbling and growling rebelliously against the confinements of your ribcage.

Meanwhile, L was a little stunned. He believed your first conversation would have gone a lot better than it had done. He had underestimated your intelligence. Even if, compared to him, you were still quite dense, you were smarter than he had treated you; smarter than he'd planned to act with you in the future. He'd have to step up his game, have to treat you with a little more... Dignity. And that was bothersome. Incredibly so.

"_She's quite sensitive, I noticed, very quick to jump to conclusions - what surprised me was that most of the ones she reached were correct in some way or form. It's quite bizarre to have somebody be able to catch on to something I'm saying... and be as cynical as I am..."_

As cynical as he was. It was in that instance that he realised treating you like an equal wouldn't work either; you'd both simply continue to expect the worse from each other and probably end up resenting one another. He'd have to make another move forward, another move towards you and reach out again... And it was a pain because he wanted nothing more than to sit in his little room and eat sweets and search desperately for a case to solve. His mind, he could feel, was slowly turning to mush; he hadn't had a good case to solve in weeks, and it was really wearing thin on his nerves. So thin he'd even be _sociable _if it meant he had something to decipher and behaviour to monitor in some way.

So apparently it was settled. He'd have to try again. What else could he do? You were a lot different than he'd imagined...

"...damn it..."

**X x**

**I'm sorry it's quite a bit shorter than others - exams and the like! I felt L would at least try to help solve your case, but cave once you couldn't give him details. I know I expressed that he was desperate for some form of case, but I don't thin he'd attempt to wager with identities and details that he can't get because the victim (you, in this case) doesn't know them. So that's why I had him give in so easily - L's smart, he knows this and I doubt he'd chase false ideas to begin with. **

**Anyway, I promise things will pick up a little after this chapter. It should get a little more fun from now on because Reader-Chan is going to be a little Tsun towards him. Apparently you weren't satisfied with his answer, huh? Tch, you should've expected it! **

**Anyhow, please review - and let me know how I did. Thanks for all the reviews and comments so far! Until the next update!**


	4. A Minor Confrontation

**Okay, so the next chapter is now! Hopefully it's to your liking but it's gonna be pretty rushed, I guess. It's annoying, but it's the only way this story can continued to be updated; I'm low on time due to exams, heh. **

**Anyhow, please tell me what you thought! Reviews are appreciated, comments are useful!**

**X x**

It was safe to say that over the past week, L had been trying to get your attention in the most irritating ways. Sitting directly opposite you and simply _staring_ seemed to be his favourite method of getting you to crack. You found it rather rude that not a word left his mouth yet he expected to speak with you eventually. As if he was arrogant enough to believe that you would simply break the ice again and speak first. That was obviously wrong. It was him who apparently wanted conversation with you so badly.

It didn't stop there, either. He'd do the most deliberate things you could ever think of: moving your towels out of reach whenever you went into the shower so that you had to speak to him, even though it was just to ask him to fetch one. He did so without complaint, of course, all the while giving you that calculating stare that had you wanting to dissipate into the floor. It was especially unnerving when you were undressed, only your head peeking out from behind the shower curtain as you almost-coyly took the towel and then slipped back behind the barrier, waiting for him to leave again.

"Do I make you nervous?" he had asked. You scrunched your fists as tightly as possible (though while they were wet, it was considerably more difficult) and told him to "get out!". Eventually he left, of course, but it didn't stop the colour from raising to your cheeks. On occasion, you called him a "dirty pervert." - you never witnessed his reaction for you weren't brave enough to look at him without being clothed, but you could almost feel the tension in the air as he considered the thought, thumb to his mouth as per usual.

Right now, you sat at the kitchen table minding your own business, shovelling forkfuls of [favourite food] into your mouth (courtesy of Watari bringing it for you despite you insisting otherwise, always distrustful), brows furrowed in slight concentration as your thoughts strayed. To be honest, you still didn't trust these people - and definitely not Ryuuzaki after the conversation you had had upstairs a week ago. It was disconcerting to learn that he was totally absorbed in his work, not even recognising the harm of the situations he dealt with every day.

"_Well... he did recognise them, you're just being picky..."_ your mind nagged, though you refused to give in to the side of the other, thinking that holding the forte against him would be all the more simple as opposed to giving in and attempting to speak with him out of pure guilt. There was nothing you hated more than a lack of compassion - but not even you could form diligence out of nothing; you were not about to give in to the omniscient L.

"Hello, [Name]." Was the sudden greeting you received as you snapped out of your thoughts, your eyes locking with his in your usual stand-off-esque way. With how intensely he was staring and how sharp the daggers you were glaring at him were, one would assume you were enemies. Well, you were, weren't you?

"Hello." you greeted, trying your best to not seem too icy. If anything, your irritation would give him a reason to gloat. To get under your skin was to evoke a reaction from you, even if negative. You assumed he'd be pleased regardless. "Do you want something?"

You had only fully registered that you had put down your fork, no longer eating. And not because you weren't comfortable with eating in front of him (you didn't like it anyway, but you didn't pay him any extra manner or matter of opinion), but because your lack of trust was only just beginning to peak through. You could suppose you were on edge due to those men and Ryuuzaki being a man himself... but Watari was also a man and you weren't afraid of him, if only slightly suspicious.

"No." Was his smooth response, a pale hand reaching upwards to pinch at the bridge of his nose, eyes closing for a second before refocusing on your face. You blinked.

"Why are you... here then?" you asked, narrowing your eyes in a state of disbelief. You weren't going to buy that L simply wanted a chat; not after the note your previous conversation had been left on. Which meant he had an ulterior motive. Which in turn pissed you off.

L's quirky smile didn't help you feel any less irritated either, "I simply came to say hello."

Silence.

Gritting your teeth, you clenched your fists lightly on the table and inhaled softly. _Just count to three, [name]. Count to three..._ and once you'd finished, you had stood up, giving him a level look. Even so, you hadn't yet moved from the front of your chair, giving you an almost hesitant-to-leave appearance as you stared back at him.

"Why did you stop eating when I came here?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, much akin to a curious puppy, or an incredibly naive child. A deep breath left your nose.

"I... I'm not hungry any more."

You weren't sure if L would accept the truth. That you didn't trust him. That you didn't think you could ever trust him. Of course you were grateful for the accommodation, for the supply, for the security, but you could just as easily be without it - as proven by your few years on the streets, in and out of houses and homes and all the rest of it. It was of no big deal to you if he threw you out... and yet somehow, you hoped this detective had an undying amount of patience and it wouldn't resort to him needing to be rid of you in order to function as per usual.

"That's obviously a lie..." he replied smoothly after a moment or two.

"Maybe I don't want to talk about it." you retorted, your mouth forming a perfect little pout as you turned your head away from the raven-haired super-sleuth.

"Maybe _I do_."

The surprise on your face was not the beginning of your give away. Out of everything he had said to you within the past week or so, not once had he been so affirmative, so firm in belief that you _really_, deep down, wanted to speak to him. Or perhaps the opposite, you thought with a pounding heart; maybe _he _wanted to speak to _you_. An odd premise, no doubt, as you considered all of the better things that he could be doing. Solving cases. Saving people's lives, even if he paid no heed to them outside of his job. Whether you liked to admit it or not, L was a justificatory man, strongly believed that any kind of evil was unjustifiably so. You had to admire that much.

Slowly, you found yourself sinking back into your seat, your eyes flitting to the floor. Suddenly, you felt too choked to speak. Perhaps you'd been wrong... perhaps this man _did _have some backbone. You wouldn't like to witness it, nor would you enjoy forcing it out of him... but it was a rather compelling thought all the same.

"...there's nothing to talk about."

L's sharp eyes narrowed some and that only made you stare harder at the floor, willing to disappear into it. By now, your food was going [cold/stale/firm/off] but you couldn't bring yourself to care, the sudden rush of distrust similar to a drug filling your veins; to apprehension sinking into your mind and taking a huge bite out of it. Your fists were clenched... and, naturally, L assessed you perfectly.

"_She's nervous. She doesn't trust me. She doesn't trust me. I doubt she's over what happened, despite what she says... over the course of this week, she's done nothing but avoid me and attempt to convince me that the case doesn't need looking into. I suppose that much is true if [Name] really doesn't want to relive her memory sequence – I can't force her, despite having my ways of making people talk – but it's becoming a nuisance... and her real self is beginning to show through. She's afraid. Definitely softer than she makes out to be..."_

The whole time L was thinking, there was a slight niggling at the back of your head. You couldn't place, nor did you particularly want to, but the feeling of your skin crawling as the other continued to stare at you with those large unwavering eyes of his had you uncomfortable... so much so that you promptly stood up, picked up your food, and threw it away. All under his watchful eye. He watched you of course – picked up on how erect your back was, noticed the way your arms looked a whole lot less powerful as soon as you were away from him (did you tense them deliberately to try and appear bigger than you were?), took note of the _relief _on your face as you gained distance from him.

_Definitely doesn't trust._

Ryuuzaki's frown became slightly more imminent as you hauled yourself up onto the counter-top, crossing your legs firmly and staring at him from across his crude little kitchen. Obviously you were put off from sitting near him – was it the way he sat? - but it didn't bother him too much. He _would _crack you. All in due time, of course.

"Why don't you trust me?"

The question knocked the wind out of you as you struggled to breathe. Of course, you didn't show it, simply took a deep breath to compose yourself in front of the ever-observant detective. He was staring, _analysing_, and you knew it. You _always _knew it.

Though, under that sharp, questioning exterior of his... you swore you could see the slightest bit of hurt in his obsidian eyes. It wasn't much, a tiny glimmer of _emotion _amongst his almost-robotic way of doing things, of looking at you... but it was heart-wrenching. And you _hated _that it was. Had you really hurt the great L? The famously brilliant super-detective who could solve any case, ever? How had you managed such a feat? You doubted a lack of trust would be enough to upset him... after all, didn't he distrust everybody too? He never showed his face, nor did he interact with people as his true self. He was almost always under an alias – even now, you knew that Ryuuzaki wasn't his real name, nor had it ever been.

Was it time to come clean? To admit your trust issue? He'd only solve it in due time... and so you allowed your eyes slip closed, fists clenching on your knees as you spoke.

"...I don't trust _anybody_. Don't take it personally, Ryuuzaki."

The answer was... slightly more satisfying than he'd expected from you. At least you weren't attempting to avoid the problem, nor talk your way out of it – that would only make him suspect you of something more; and while his case-starved mind may (or may not, he'd insist) have something to do with that, it was obvious that it was going to happen. He was slightly pleased that it didn't _have to _now.

"I can't help _but _take it personally," he replied after a moment to process what you had said. "It _is _personal." The young man took a sharp breath inwards, feeling a lick of agitation. It was rare, he wasn't even sure why it was there... but it was, and it was furiously frustrating. "You distrust me so much you can't bring yourself to _eat _in front of me."

"_This anger... it shouldn't be there..."_

"You won't even _speak _to me."

"_Do I even want her to?"_

"You _ignore _me."

"_...and I, I have ignored you..."_

There was a tense moment of silence; only the beginning of many more as L's stare averted to the table, almost glaring at the object with vigour. Feeling such a temper was bothersome, particularly when he didn't actually possess it. It was at that moment that he realised that you were different. You weren't the brightest – nowhere _near _as bright as he was – and you weren't the smoothest... but somehow, you seemed to be the most interesting person he'd met in a long time. He'd met plenty of people, all under alias, but none of them intrigued – and frustrated – them like you did.

It was a scary development for him. He wasn't sure he liked it... liked having emotion dragged out of him. Who could blame him? Wouldn't anybody feel vulnerable? He wasn't weak... he didn't build his worldwide reputation due to being _weak_.

"You act as if you _want _me to talk to you."

Your voice had lost its spark. It's spunk. Its fight. And it annoyed you – and L – to great measures. Why now did you seem so weak, so pathetic, so damn changeable? The hair on your neck prickled as you heard the chair L was perched on being pushed out. Soft footsteps padded across the floor; L was bare-foot, as per usual.

"Perhaps I do." He was in front of you now. His back ridiculously slouched as you'd witnessed countless times in passing. No matter how you covered it up, L was a very quirky and interesting man – if only for his weird factor. You knew that the pulsing distrust wasn't about to fade away, nor was it about to nullify simply because you – or he – willed it to... but suddenly you felt as if you could _try _to put this into perspective and think more considerately. You realised in a split moment that this wasn't about "giving into L", nor was it about appeasing him. It was about respect.

This man had fed you, clothed you, provided for you – and for no gain of his own as you refused to give him even company in return. Alongside your distrust came the stabbing sensation of guilt, the unpleasant feeling slicing at your insides and making you feel as if you could empty the contents of your stomach onto the perfect kitchen floor beneath you. You'd been behaving _disgustingly_. Nothing excused it. Not distrust, not anything. What did you have to _not trust him for_?! You were now kicking yourself, cursing with every fibre of your being. Why did everything have to be so damn hard?

Including apologising.

"...I'm..." You couldn't do it, as you grit your teeth and looked away from him. The other just stared at you, no kind of expectance on his face. Not much of _anything _there as he simply stood with his hands in his baggy pockets, face trained up towards yours merely because you had spoken to him. You tried to push yourself on, despite how uncomfortable his eyes were beginning to make you feel. The temptation to cry out of guilt and annoyance was suddenly all too great... but you pushed it away, much like you had done everything – and everybody – else in your entire life throughout the course of these past few years. "I'm... I'm sorry."

His face didn't change. Nor did it weaken. He just stared at you the same as before... and you couldn't tell if you were grateful for the lack of reaction or if it annoyed you. You decided it was a little of both.

But then, the unthinkable.

_L smiled_.

Not sure what to make of the situation (you hadn't seen him even crack a half smile before, a full on smile was certainly tugging at the strings of reality as far as you were concerned), you smiled back. Meekly. Almost awkwardly. Yet neither of you cared.

Perhaps this was just the beginning of something else. Or perhaps the collapse of what could have been a successful avoidance.

Either way, you were both in too deep to change the way things were now.

**Xx**

**Just a needed chapter regarding Reader-Chan's trust. Or, lack of it. The thing is, my story – my entire plans – revolve around distrust and how L brings it out in you... but since, by next chapter, I'm going to have him looking at some kinds of cases (or, again, lack of, hint hint), I figured his strong sense of justice would be enough to get you thinking, if not slightly-trusting of him anyway.**

**I'm sorry that this chapter was paced incredibly slowly – the thing is, I'm actually afraid to rush it. I know I drag some parts on, I do it almost intentionally to ensure that I'm not going too fast. I just hope it's not _too _tedious. And of course, this story will be rich with time skips since it's planned to be quite a short one. Twenty chapters at ABSOLUTE most (so probably fifteen or so).**

**Anyhow, how is he going to deal with your distrust? I suppose you'll find out – if the exams don't kill me.**


	5. A Frolic in the Pool

**Okay, so the next chapter of Trust Me, Trust You is here for you to read. Thanks for all the lovely reviews telling me about last chapter****; I really appreciate it, and of course, it makes me want to write more, quicker. Also, I'm gonna do a Light/Reader too (because I actually love Light a lot more than L) but I'll try to finish this story first since it's only a short one and I have no feasible plot for a Light/Reader yet. Not quite yet. **

**Anyhow, enjoy!**

**X x**

It hadn't been too long since you and L had exchanged apologies and smiles with each other and your mind couldn't quite imagine how it could have gone better. You were in a state of slight disbelief, knowing you couldn't buy your luck even if you'd believed what had happened. It was basically L's way of giving you a second chance.

The world's greatest detective... giving _you _a second chance. You could hardly contain yourself.

However, since you'd parted ways after that fateful exchange, you realised that L was respectful of privacy all along. Now that the issue was resolved, he wasn't tailing you around, nor was he moving your things just so that you had to ask for them. As childish as the tactic had been, it had worked after all; him leaving you be was your reward for resolving an issue.

Funny, huh?

Stepping out of the shower, you dried off and slipped into your [f/c] pyjamas, then wandered down the halls in search of something to do. The night was young, eight o'clock at the very latest, and you weren't intent on going to bed yet. Hell, from your knowledge, L wasn't - and hadn't been - ready to go to bed for at least four days now. You were slightly worried about him... did he ever get any sleep?

Trailing down the stairs, you poked your head in the computer room - sure enough, you found L perched in his usual style on his usual chair. Everything was so mundane in his appearance; you watched him do the same thing every day save for a few scarce interactions with you in which were becoming more and more seared into your memory the longer he progressed with them. But as quickly as the pair of you were beginning to make developments of some kind, L had seen it as fit to lock himself in that room, shutting himself away from you entirely for a couple of days. Eventually, he had slipped into little habits, allowing himself to say hello to you and occasionally asking you what you'd been doing - as if he was purposefully restricting himself as to how much he spoke to you. Which pissed you off a little - hadn't he told you off for that just recently?

"L?" you spoke up. He didn't turn, didn't even acknowledge that you'd spoken but you knew he'd heard you. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, his back had tensed ever-so-slightly, though his hair hindered the view if you weren't looking for it.

Hell, if there was one good thing you'd learned from L, it was that things were always there to be observed. You simply had to look for them.

"Yes, _?" It had been a whole minute or so of silence before he finally responded, knowing you wouldn't leave without him doing so. Like him, you were childish - you could have easily waited there a huge sum of minutes and the pair of you knew it. "What is it?"

"I'm bored..." you mumbled. There was something about complaining that didn't sit well with you... after all, it wasn't even _your _establishment, nor was anything in the entire complex technically - or rightfully - yours. You hadn't worked for anything, hadn't had to for Watari had been on your hand and foot despite your protests against such treatment. You weren't ready to be treated with the equivalence of a Queen with no working limbs... and yet he did so. And didn't even expect a payment. "I want to do something, L..."

Nothing.

And then a slight scuff of movement caught your attention. Your head shifted upwards, realising he had turned in his chair, hands clutching the back of it as his dark eyes inspected you. Searching. Always searching. But you weren't sure what he aimed to find in you, nor did you really understand what was going through his mind whenever he looked at you. It was almost as if he _forgot _you were there, and that his eyes were actually locked on you, honing in on every twitch your made in your state of discomfort.

"Isn't there something you'd _rather _do than pester me about it?"

Immediately you pouted, "Cold."

"Not cold."

"_Cold._"

The silence settled between you thickened for a moment, your expression hardening when he attempted to give you what he considered a "pfft, shut it" look. You compared it to a fish out of water attempting to swallow oxygen as its new source of air with the way his cheeks puffed out.

Haughtily, you allowed your feet to carry you into the room. The buzz of computers and way-beyond-you technology made your ears twitch slightly; you had gotten increasingly used to such equipment, and yet this room always amazed you. Whether it was the extensive amount of computers stuck to that _one _wall, or the entire chrome, futuresque feel of the room, you weren't sure... but something about it was _intriguing_. As if you were the only outsider who had seen it - which couldn't have been possible, L had mentioned housing other officers in here occasionally when he'd been tackling a few hard cases.

"Fine." Snapped you out of your thoughts. Blinking to register what was said, the soft pad of footsteps was heard slightly afterwards; an indication that the sloth was moving. You had coaxed him out of hiding, bringing him slowly into the light... and as if on cue, he remained in the shadows as he stood opposite you. "Then how about I show you a selection of places you can entertain yourself with?"

Without waiting for your reply, L began to walk away, expecting you to follow him. Of course you did, but only because he was planning to help you out - you weren't his dog, and never would be, if he wanted you to follow then he would _ask_. Best detective or not, it didn't make him God.

You followed L through corridor after corridor - so many that you thought they'd never end. They all seemed to meet each other at one single place anyway, breaking off merely to be complicated. Because they could. Because L could afford it. An act of smugness only to result in something even more childish by the end of it. As you took the elevator down rather than the stairs, you couldn't help but think just how much money he had. You didn't quite dare ask though... it seemed too personal for some bizarre reason.

Sure. He knew everything about you and yet you felt you couldn't ask him anything. It was how he _often _made you feel.

The door slid open and you immediately tailed L as he moved surprisingly briskly out of the lift.

"Were you doing anything important back there?"

Immediately, L winced. He hadn't had a case in _weeks _now... either the police were getting better at their jobs, or the criminals were becoming increasingly sloppy as the crimes continued on. It was an odd premise; almost as if he wasn't needed. Obviously that wasn't true - not a lot of things in the world were any more, mere fabrications of what used to be known as real.

But still, having no case was making the poor detective restless. He'd never admit it - _ever_ - but he was slightly pleased when you had entered the room. It curbed his boredom, gave him something to look for in this huge and empty building. Where could he show you first? The pool? The game room? Or perhaps he could take you outside and show you the tennis courts? He may have found himself with some spare time one day and offer to play a game with you... maybe.

"...no." His answer was curt, short-handed as usual, and it made you make a slight face of irritation. You knew he wasn't a man of words; if anything, he preferred the silence, but it was ever-boring to get one-word, non-conversational answers from him at any given time of the day.

Eventually, you reached an open room, spotting a pool stretching across the length of it. Immediately, your face lit up. In your time here, you hadn't known there'd been a pool. L seemed to look over his shoulder at you, glancing over your excited features before turning back to the water and inspecting it with an almost bored look. You supposed it wouldn't be anything special to him, he has been surrounded by it his entire life... but you? A pool? _Indoors_?! This was beyond luxury!

"A pool," he stated, before turning to you - only to realise you had stripped of your clothes, simply standing there in your underwear. He opened his mouth to make a comment, to tell you to stop being foolish and go and get some _proper _swim-wear... but then closed it again, unable to complain. He wasn't sure why either, he usually wasn't so distracted.

And then he was wiping his face as you suddenly jumped in without warning, water splashing over him as you whooped happily and began to swim very fast lengths. Inspecting you out of the corner of his eye, L could recognise the definite hint of muscle everywhere upon your body; it was most definitely to do with your days out in the rough, dealing with strange people day in and day out. In fact, given your background, he wouldn't have been terribly surprised if you'd been properly prepared for 'combat' even _before _you were out on the streets.

"_, you could have at least _told me _you were going to undress." L called to you after you'd swam an entire length. You leaned your arms against the side of the pool and peered up at him, eyebrows dipping to give you a mischievous look. He regarded it, but as usual, his face gave nothing away, Thank goodness, otherwise you'd definitely be able to pick up on a blush and perhaps even the _thump thump _of a slightly-accelerating heartbeat...

"Why do you care?" you bat back. You _always _bat back when it came to L. It appeared that you were friends, even though he never openly said anything about the nature of your relationship, and you didn't ask or push it. You were content to simply live alongside him. To understand him as each day came rather than expecting something out of a relationship that didn't even exist in the first place. If he claimed you were friends, you were friends. If he claimed you were acquaintances, you were acquaintances. Hell, if he claimed you were _enemies_, then you were enemies.

But if he didn't claim _anything_? Fair game.

"I don't _care_," replied the ever-diligent L, eyes narrowing somewhat at your accusation. His hands remained firmly in his usual baggy pockets; you couldn't help but think they'd look better - and certainly more characteristic - to be crossed over his chest with the edge of indignance that he was currently portraying to you. It was amusing. Fun. You enjoyed playing with L like this - particularly when _you _had the upper hand. "I just didn't expect it."

"You should come swim, L."

He gave you a look. A look that clearly stated his disapproval without actually talking to you. Then, he shook his head, "No, I should be getting back to my work."

"You said you didn't have any!" you exclaimed, brilliant [e/c] eyes narrowing. A little smirk found its way onto your face as you realised he had tensed visibly this time. He must have forgotten he had admitted such a thing to you when you had left the elevator. A sense of victory washed over you. Pride. You had done it: you had beaten L. Just this once, you felt triumphant.

_Hardly a victory, it was just a slip-up._

..._a slip-up he'll never live down!_

"What's the matter, L?" you all but cooed, your tone knowing and smug. He didn't turn to face you, didn't gratify you with any kind of look. He began to walk away, but before he left, he uttered:

"_Fine_. I'll be back in a moment."

In that, you assumed he wasn't going to be as reckless as you had been in just simply ripping off whatever pyjamas you were wearing and discarding them on that very floor, which was wet anyway. What else was to be expected, it was surrounded by _water_. Waiting for L to return, you simply frolicked in the water; half of you didn't expect him to come back.

But there he was, you mused, as he came wandering back in, swim-trunks at the ready. You shouldn't have admired him, shouldn't have even spared him a glance... but by _God_, were his baggy clothes _deceiving_. He had a nice upper-half, chest surprisingly toned. His ribs did protrude _slightly_, but it didn't bother you as his shoulders gave way to strong-looking arms.

And his legs were another story entirely. There must have been some serious strength packed into them. You wouldn't be surprised if he could kick down a goddamn _house _with those!

As he lowered himself slowly into the water, you could only tear your gaze away and spin on your feet. Being in the shallow end, it wasn't that hard. Unable to stop the slight blush that came alight on your face, you shifted away some from the man barely beside you and made as if you were going to begin swimming again.

Meanwhile, the raven-haired super-sleuth was looking at you with a mixture of confusion and amusement. He hadn't mentioned it, but he didn't mind coming to swim with you - if anything, he appreciated it. He'd never thank you, probably never let you know about it, but he really was bored waiting for a case. He'd do anything just to have some form of work... but it seemed criminals were becoming pathetic in method and scarce in occurrence. Which was bothersome.

When he noticed you hadn't begun to make your rounds yet, his eyes flickered somewhat, uncertain.

"Is something wrong, _?" he asked, mouth averting into a little frown as he realised you hadn't turned to look at him like you normally would. Surely... no, surely not. Surely you weren't... _attracted _to what you saw...? "...you haven't started swim-"

He was interrupted by you suddenly propelling away, kicking hard to push you at high speeds away from him. Briefly dropping his resolve, L spluttered. _Spluttered_. Like a child that had gotten bubble-bath in his eyes and nose.

The sound of laughter pierced the air. _Your _laughter.

"Catch me if you can, L!"

"_Really_?" His voice was a long-drawn out drawl that sounded far from amused. However, you didn't let him dampen your spirits, nor did you let him ruin your fun as you threw yourself to the other side of the pool, beckoning him with arm gestures from afar. Sure enough, he felt his childish side begin to kick in. He _wanted _to beat you, wanted to catch you and win the 'game' you had so carelessly set up. But he could imagine you wouldn't make it that easy for him... was it really worth the effort?

_...eh, what the Hell..._

"What's the matt-wahh!" you exclaimed as he began to propel towards you with alarming speed. You were right, his muscles must have been incredibly strong to push him through at such a speed. By God, you were done already!

The rest of your time in the pool was spent chasing one another with the accuracy (from your side) of a pair of stray torpedoes. To your surprise, L wasn't smart at all when faced with the gruelling task of chasing you around the pool, swimming as furiously as you were with the near-murderous intent of beating you. Such childishness displayed by the world's best...

...and, you discovered that you liked this side of him even better.

**X x**

**So, just a fun little chapter here. Yeah, I'm aware nothing much is happening - that's because this story is going to end when L gains knowledge of the Kira Case. This si very much a slice-of-life fanfic... something just for fun since I have something far more complex planned for my Light/Reader. I doubt I'd have the energy - or the will - to do such a thing for L since I prefer Light massively, thus would naturally put more time into something for him.**

**Anyhow, I won't complain about it - I enjoyed writing this chapter as much as I would anything else. Please review! Thank you!**


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